Officer dragged by car shoots, kills driver

While frisking the man, one of the officers felt an object under the man's clothing.

The man jumped back into the car and the officer grabbed on to him.

With the officer holding on, the man put the car in drive and drove off with the officer hanging out the car.

"The officer fears for his life" and pulled out his gun, Evers said.

He fired once, hitting the man in the chest.

The car had traveled about 100 feet before running into a parked car and coming to a stop.

Police found a packet of white powder believed to be cocaine on the man.

The man was pronounced dead at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania at 11:22 p.m. His name has not been released yet, but Evers said he was from Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, and had 18 prior arrests, mostly for drugs.

The officer was treated for scrapes and bruises at the hospital and released.

The officer will be placed on modified assignment pending an investigation by the Homicide Unit and Internal Affairs, which is standard practice.